Location: IPSCO, Axis, Alabama
AHR quite often has the opportunity to “think out of the box”. That said, our AIR Saver Systems group, headed by M. Rettig, recently completed a total re-design of the melt shop fume collection DEC systems duct at IPSCO’s Axis, AL (Mobile) facility. As it is in most steel mills, the duct was routed over the building roof. This always creates issues relative to maintenance, inspections, and general attention required to monitor the overall condition of the duct. MOST mills don’t know there are problems…until the duct is ready to fall.
AHR was given a directive by the IPSCO department managers to come up with a better solution. We did so without changing the process or effecting the production. All of the work, with exception to the final tie ins, was done during normal plant operation. Strategic planning including a very detailed schedule that was sectioned into 15 minute intervals was derived whereby EVERY planning goal was met and we completed the project earlier than anyone could have believed possible.
The duct was re-routed alongside the building in lieu of over the roof. This now allows for easy access and immediate recognition of problematic conditions. The new system has provided IPSCO the ability to better maintain the Fume Collection System. This solution should be considered at all steel mills where maintenance is a continued concern.
